Note by @franticbiscuit

@vadim @jzb

Actually matters a lot.

If you still owe money when you go into elderly care, you wont be able to pass the house on as an inheritance.

If you pay it off, but go into elderly care within 5 years, you won't be able to pass the house off as an inheritance.

Medicaid has a 5 year lookback period on assets.

This only effects the average joe. The people who have money need not apply.